Still A Friend Of Mine
by Po' PoCHi
Summary: Hanamichi and Youhei? They're best friends, alright... Hanamichi likes Haruko? We know that! That's an old-time classic... Youhei and Haruko? What will happen to the bond of friendship between them? SongFic, One-Shot.


Sakuragi had just have the best start of the day. Everything went on his way in the morning. But then when he stepped into the school yard, he's about to experience the worst thing that'll happen to him, and will turn him down 180 degrees.  
  
//You know it's true as trees are tall//  
  
"Oi, Youhei… What are you doing standing there like that?" He saw his best friend from Junior High, Youhei, one of the Sakuragi gundan, leaning against the school walls just before the entrance.  
  
//And autumn leaves do fall//  
  
"Well, Hanamichi… I'm waiting for you…" He simply replied as he straighten his back and approached the red-head.  
  
"Me?" Sakuragi was rather confused. Usually there were four of them waiting for him every morning, but now there was only Youhei. Wonder where the others have gone. "Where's the others?"  
  
//Oh, it sometimes rains in paradise//  
  
"Ohayo, Sakuragi-kun!" A cheerful voice came from Sakuragi's back. Both were surprised to see her. One's face, Sakuragi's, were lighten up in delight, while the another's, Youhei's, faulted in confusion and panic. "Ohayo, Youhei-kun," she said softer as her cheeks reddens.  
  
//And even the warmest heart can turn to ice//  
  
"Aa… Haruko-san!!! Good mor…" His sentence was cut off when he saw Haruko walking closer towards Youhei and suddenly she wrapped her arms around Youhei's waist. "H-H… Haru—ko… s-san?"  
  
1 //I know it happens to us all//  
  
Haruko turned around, her arms are still around Youhei's waist. She smiled to Sakuragi, a little bit perplexed to see Sakuragi's frown. She clears her throat as her lips parted to speak. "Umm… Youhei and I are… couples…. Since yesterday…" She then blushes lightly.  
  
2 //Every kind of people fall//  
  
Nobody knows what's Sakuragi's thinking but all can see that his fists were crumpled. Then not long after that, it swung in the air and hit Youhei's left cheek. Haruko was shocked and she gasped in terror. "Sakuragi-kun!!!"  
  
3 //And after all the tears are gone//  
  
"Teme, Youhei! How could you!!! How could you!!! I thought we're best friends and now… and now…" Angst and hatred were painted in Sakuragi's face. It's now red, redder than his hair, and was steaming. "You didn't even tell me yesterday, as if nothing's happen! I know you wanna hurt me, don't you! I hate you!!!"  
  
//Do we have the heart to carry on?//  
  
"I was gonna tell you this morning! That's why I'm waiting for you!!!!" It seems like Sakuragi wasn't listening to him because he just took off like that and disappear from their presence. "Hanamichi…"  
  
4 //Here and now, still somehow//  
  
"Youhei-kun… are you okay? Why is he so angered?" Haruko's eyes were all watery and it could drop sooner or later. She lifted her hands and touched the bruise on her lover's face with her fingertips.  
  
//Still a friend of mine//  
  
"I'm alright, Haruko-san… I think I'm the one who's making the mistake… I don't think I can be forgiven… He's suffered a lot…"  
  
//Oh, you're still a friend of mine//  
  
"Demo… He hit you… I thought you were good friends and now he hit you… Isn't he at least supposed to be glad?"  
  
Still a friend of mine  
  
"It's a long story Haruko-san…" Youhei slumped his back and leaned back against the wall as he took a deep breath. He then looked to the crystal sky as he smile to himself. "Maa, Hanamichi… I don't think you'll be able to forgive me easily but…"  
  
//You're still a friend of mine//  
  
"You don't have to ask for forgiveness…. 'cause I already forgive you…"  
  
//Still a friend of mine//  
  
"Oh well… Let's go to class, Haruko-san… The bell's gonna ring any minute from now…" Gently, he took Haruko's small hand in his and walked to the school building together, hand-in-hand, as if he had forgotten the awful incident that had just occurred a few minutes back then.  
  
//Oh, you're still a friend of mine…//  
  
***  
  
Days went by since the incident occurred. Youhei still hang around with Sakuragi, but they hadn't even talk since then. Well, Youhei tried to start the conversation but it seems like Sakuragi still hates him and didn't care to reply.  
  
//To think of all the times I've hurt you//  
  
The Sakuragi Gundan still watches Hanamichi practice, and so does Youhei. But Sakuragi kept on acting as if he wasn't there before him, as if he didn't exist in his eyes. Sometimes the red-head tried to flirt around with Haruko, just to make him jealous, but he did nothing. Every time he kept holding back his anger to himself.  
  
//And never thought it through//  
  
Now it's weekend and the school day is off. Just as the normal Sakuragi Gundan is, they went to the Pachinko center to play, if they were lucky. Out of the gundan, there were only 3 of them, and Youhei's not there.  
  
//Ooh I've treat you so badly, baby//  
  
"Ne, Hanamichi… What's up between you and Youhei… Aren't it solved yet?" After a long break of silence between the four, Tsukimiya, finally speak up. "It gets kind of freaky to see this huge gap between you two…"  
  
//Could such a cruel heart ever be free?//  
  
"So what I hate him…" That's the only thing that Sakuragi answered.  
  
//I know it happens to us all//  
  
"Well, can't you just forgive him and get along… I know you've been dumped by so many girls and I bet this isn't so bad for you… I mean…"  
  
//Every kind of people fall//  
  
"Still… He didn't tell me from the start that he has feelings for Haruko… If he did I would probably give no mind…" Sakuragi cleared his throat. "And look at him now, I bet he's dating with Haruko and he forgets about us…" Sarcastically, he spoke ill of his own best friend.  
  
//And after all is said and done//  
  
Tsukimiya took a deep breath and smiled. The others who were just listening to them now is wondering why that fat friend of theirs is smiling. "Oi, Hanamichi… Don't say that… There are times when you can't spend 'em with friends… You yourself had been doing it too…"  
  
5 //Do we have a heart to carry on?//  
  
"M-me?" What was all his friend was saying about? Him forgetting about his friends? When did it happen? Sakuragi couldn't remember a thing  
  
//Here and now… Still somehow…//  
  
"Yeah, you, Hanamichi. I don't say you forget about us… It's just that you spend more time with it not us…"  
  
"It?"  
  
//Still a friend of mine//  
  
"Yup…"  
  
"What is it?! And what do you mean by IT?" Sakuragi demanded loudly.  
  
//Oh, you're still a friend of mine//  
  
"Well, you know this thing… sometimes kept you away from us for a while… Do you realize what it is, Hanamichi?" He smiled wider. The others were nodding too, agreeing with his statement. "Basketball…"  
  
//Still a friend of mine//  
  
"Basketball…?"  
  
"Yeah, basketball… It kinda cuts off the time that you can spend with us, having fun… Youhei too sometimes say that… He says that he oftens gets lonely now when you're busy practicing."  
  
//Oh, still a friend of mine//  
  
"Sou ka?" Hanamichi was dumbfounded by their confession. It's true, though, he seems to be spending a lot more time in basketball rather than playing around with them. "Youhei said that…?"  
  
"Yup… So now, do you know how he must've felt right now?"  
  
// Still a friend of mine//  
  
"Demo, I still wanna be with you guys but I just think I needed practice… I didn't mean to abandon you guys at all!"  
  
//Oh, you're still a friend of mine//  
  
"We all know that… That's why we kept cheering you up whenever you have games or even in the practice… It's the same with Youhei… Right now, even if he's not with us, he's still our friend, right? It doesn't mean he's not a part of us anymore… We all know he just needs to spend time with Haruko…"  
  
"Youhei…"  
  
***  
  
Maybe it's true about what they said. Maybe he must apologize to him. Youhei didn't do anything at all and then he just hit him in the face like that. It takes a while for Sakuragi to know of how he felt that time, and now he knows. It's Monday again, everybody's worse day. As usual, he dressed in his uniform and then walks to school earlier than before, just to keep out from tardiness.  
  
//I know as long as I got you//  
  
The school entrance was in sight. Students were walking in bunches, entering the yard. Sakuragi rolled his eyes around to spot the figure of his friend, any of them, but there were none. So he rushed to the locker room and headed towards Youhei's. Then just as he had wished for, Youhei was there.  
  
//And we do the things we do//  
  
Before starting to apologize, Sakuragi bent his back down to catch his breath since he had been running. On the other hand, his best friend, was confused. "O…hayo, Hanamichi…" He simply said in a soft voice, full of doubt.  
  
//The next time, baby, that our love breaks down//  
  
"Youhei!!" He cried aloud as he threw himself towards the shorter one. Youhei accepted him into his arms, but stun were still pasted on his face. He didn't know what's going on, and what's up with Sakuragi's behavior.  
  
"Doushita no, Hanamichi…?"  
  
//I'll do the best that I can to turn it around//  
  
"Youhei… I'm sorry… I didn't know what I was doing to you until now…"  
  
"Umm… well let go of me first, Hanamichi… We look like gays if we're hugging in a public place like this…" Sakuragi pulled back abruptly and jumped back.  
  
//Here and now… Still somehow…//  
  
He snorts as he folded his arms. "Don't worry, at least they won't think you're gay because you already had your GIRLFRIEND…"  
  
Youhei only chuckled. "Maa maa… let's not start… I'm sorry about that Hanamichi… You must've feel bad. I know I should told you from the start…"  
  
//Still a friend of mine//  
  
"No! I'm the one who's supposed to apologize to you… If I were you I would have been mad… It takes a lot of patience, and you have it… That's why I must both appreciate and apologize to you…"  
  
//Oh, you're still a friend of mine//  
  
"Well, Hanamichi… There's only one thing that makes me angered about your bluntness…" He began to sound serious right now. Wonder what is it about that he mention.  
  
"…What is it?"  
  
//Still a friend of mine//  
  
"One thing," Youhei lifted up his index finger as an expression of a single statement. "I'm angry to you because you don't know that no matter what you do, I'll be able to forgive you…"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
//You're still a friend of mine//  
  
Well that was an unexpected answer to heard from Youhei. Sakuragi now has his eyes were popping wide open in aghast. His best friend only laughed when he saw his reaction. Such a stupid view. "Maa, Hanamichi… Do you know how long we've been friends? I mean, best friends…?"  
  
"Well… Since… Grade 6, maybe?"  
  
//Still a friend of mine//  
  
"Yup, you're right 'bout that. Well then… Do you know how deep our relationship is, now?"  
  
"Wait a minute, Youhei… Even if we are best friends it doesn't mean we have THAT relationship!"  
  
//Oh you're still a friend of mine//  
  
There were silence, long enough to make Youhei's slow brain to catch what Sakuragi had meant. He then bursted out into laughter as he hit his back a few times. "Fool! I'm not talking about THAT, idiot. Besides, what makes you think that way? I have a girlfri-- … umm…"  
  
"Yea yea I know I know… You got a girlfriend… hell yeah…"  
  
//Time and time, and time again//  
  
"Maa, I didn't mean no offense to you… Well… Back to the point. You know how deep our friendship is after those long years we've spent together?"  
  
"… How deep? You tell me. I have absolutely no idea."  
  
6 //I'm gonna be right here for you, baby//  
  
A hearty smile painted on his lips just before he continued to speak out his preach. "Well, deeper than the ocean, I guess… I know you like Haruko ever since the first time of your high-school life. That's why at that morning, you remember? I was gonna ask you about both your opinions and agreement. Things just don't turn the way I had hoped, I guess… Well, what can I say." He ran his hand through his slicked hair and scratched a bit on its back.  
  
"I'm sorry… I didn't mean to… I guess I was too much hit by the shock. Oh well, you know me…" Sighing, Sakuragi begin walking away into the hallway and Youhei followed him on the back before catching up with his speedy pace.  
  
//Seasons come and seasons go//  
  
"Well, I don't care if you don't really apologize anyway, but… I just wanna say that… I wouldn't do such things just to hurt you, Hanamichi. I would break up my relationship with Haruko-chan if you're really hurt that bad… I mean… For me, our friendship comes first now, since I don't really have parents anyway…"  
  
Flattered by his words, Sakuragi only stood there in amusement, thinking that he might be in a dream. This kind of talk rarely happens between them. It's not one of the topic that they like to discuss on anyway, and so it kind of never really gets to this point. "Baka Youhei-kun. I won't do such things either… Well I know I'm kinda shocked and sad with it but… It doesn't mean that I would totally turn my back upon you… I will try to find a way to support you, even though it takes time… Well, if you're happy, that's all, man… I kinda get used to rejection anyway so who cares?"  
  
//Gonna be right here for you//  
  
"Maa… I guess that proves our true friendship, doesn't it?" Youhei slid his arm around Sakuragi's neck and pulled his head closer to his as they giggled their way through the halls.  
  
"Yup… Thicker than water, thicker than blood…"  
  
//Time and time, and time again//  
  
"Well, Hanamichi… so this means I'm okay with Haruko?" He finally asked after steeling his nerves.  
  
"Of course!!! I'm on your back, Youhei!!! Demo, if you ever make her cry, not only Gori will break your neck… I'll come and break your spine all the way through to your hip bone!!!"  
  
That sounds scary.  
  
//I'm gonna be right here for you…//  
  
"Take it easy, Hanamichi! I'll do my best…"  
  
"I hope you will…! Well for now, let's just go to our class… What's our first lesson? Is it Geography? Man I hate that witch!!!"  
  
"Yeah 'cause you always get below 4 in Mrs. July Anne's class, don't you Hanamichi?"  
  
"Stop it! I once get an 8 in my test!"  
  
"Hell yeah… a laughing 8… And what does that makes? A 3?"  
  
"Teme, Youhei!!!!!!"  
  
They were chasing each other in the narrow, white-painted hallways that leads to their classroom. Haruko, who just happen to exit her class to go to the bathroom, seems to capture the scene. She was glad, though, 'cause their relationship is back to normal.  
  
  
  
//Here and now… still somehow…//  
  
7 //Still a friend of mine…//  
  
Owari.  
  
  
  
a.n : how do you like that? Reviews, pls! Anyways, the song is Still a Friend Of Mine by Incognito, the legendary acid jazz band. It's a great song, try downloading it or buy the album!!! Yeah… my first songfic. Kinda rough, though… --___--  
  
Neways, see u on my upcoming fics… 


End file.
